Authors

Author Biography

Dr. Sharyl Cross was appointed Distinguished Professor and Director of the Kozmetsky Center at St. Edward’s University beginning in September 2013. She is also affiliated as a Global Policy Fellow with the Kennan Institute/Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington DC for 2013-2014. From 2005-2013, Dr. Cross was Professor in the College of International & Security Studies at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany. Prior to the Marshall Center, Dr. Cross was at the United States Air Force Academy where she had been appointed Distinguished Professor of Political Science. She has published extensively on issues related to international security, American foreign policy, Russia, and South East Europe.

DOI

http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.6.4.1

Subject Area Keywords

Abstract

Russia has been targeted with a series of terrorist attacks over the past several years, and there are a growing number of extremist groups operating throughout Russia’s society utilizing the Internet/social media to promote their narratives and objectives. Russia’s policy community has created institutional mechanisms and laws to address the challenge of violent extremism in the Internet/social media, and recognizes the importance of international cooperation toward these ends. This study, based on primary research conducted in Moscow in 2012, defines Russia’s assessment of domestic and international sources violent extremist threats; explains Moscow’s perspective on balancing democratic principles with the challenge of countering violent extremism in the Internet/social media; assesses existing capacities and impediments to further international collaboration with Russia in countering violent extremism in the Internet/social media spheres; defines specific initiatives that Russia, the United States, and other nations of the world community could advance to enhance international cooperation in countering violent extremism throughout the world cyber community.

*Dr. Cross wrote this article while Professor of International Security and Politics at the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies in Garmisch-Partenkirchen Germany. She would like to express appreciation for research support provided for this project by the Institute of National Security Studies (INSS) at the United States Air Force Academy. The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not reflect the official policy or position of the George C. Marshall European Center for Security Studies, the U.S. European Command, the Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government.